Berks Connectionspretrial Services

“A copy of the 990 and bco-10 is emailed to the co-executive directors and each member of the board of directors for review. If revisions are made, an updated copy is emailed. Each member of the board of directors then emails their approval of the final copy to the co-executive directors.”

“The conflict of interest disclosure forms are completed annually and reviewed by the co-executive directors and board president, who monitor the reported disclosures during the year.”

“When determining the compensation package for the co-executive directors, the executive committee of the board of directors gathered salary information for comparable positions in non-profit organizations by reviewing their 990s, as well as salary information for management positions within the berks county, pa government. The information was reviewed by the executive committee and the compensation packages were presented to the full board of directors for review and approval. The information and deliberations were contemperaneously documented by the board secretary.”

“The organization's financial statements are available in the annual report and the governing documents and conflict of interest policy are available for public inspection, upon request.”

“Berks connections/pretrial services creates a safer, more prosperous community by providing services, support and community-based outreach to adult offenders, at-risk youth and their families through successful community reintegration and pretrial-related assistance.”

“In the rehabilitation of pretrial defendants. The organization provided 2,140 defendant assessments to the courts in 2014, assisting the courts in setting bail and release conditions. The organization supervised a total of 688 defendants in 2014 and made 550 referrals to substance abuse and/or mental health treatment facilities. The court appearance rate for clients of the organization was 96%. Pretrial services conducts post-arrest interviews and assessments of criminal defendants prior to their preliminary arraignment and furnishes the verified results to the judiciary. Bcps also provides staffing and assistance to the mental health diversion initiative, the goals of which are: 1) to decrease the incarceration of the non-violent mentally ill population by identifying and assessing these individuals for diversion from jail and/or the criminal justice system, linking them to appropriate treatment services, and providing monitoring through bcps/pretrial services supervision when applicable, 2) to save taxpayer money by reducing the incarceration and justice system costs, and 3) to maintain community safety. The target population is non-violent individuals who have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony and have an axis 1 diagnosis of mental illness. Referrals for the program can come from various professionals in the criminal justice system at any stage of the case process, but the goal is to identify and divert at the earliest point possible. In 2014, the mental health diversion program had 343 contacts, completed 58 diversions, and provided 142 referrals to collaborative resources. Bcps/pretrial services provides personnel and support for the berks county intermediate punishment program, a jail diversionary program that involves intensive community supervision and counseling for offenders and for the berks county treatment courts program that provides an intensive combination of court-ordered treatment and regular interaction with the treatment court judge and his team.”

“- to provide safe and positive recreational activities for children of inmates and other at-risk youth; and - to serve as a link between the community, social service agencies and the berks county criminal justice system and youth-based initiatives. Pre-release reentry services: bcps provides reentry-related programs and services at the berks county jail and the berks county community reentry center. These services typically begin in the months prior to release and continue after release to provide an uninterrupted continuum of care. Post-release services are available for up to three years after release. Pre-release services and case management focus on the following reentry needs: - employment - education - housing - substance abuse and mental health counseling and treatment referrals - immediate needs such as i.d., transportation and clothing recidivism rates for this population have dropped from a pre-program average of almost 30% to an average of under 10%. Employment rates were increased from a pre-program average of about 30% to over 62%. Post-release reentry services: bcps operates the reentry resource center: a one-stop location for ex-offenders returning to our community from the berks county jail system, as well as state and federal institutions. Bcps' comprehensive reentry strategy includes: - conducting a comprehensive needs assessment to identify specific critical areas of need; - gathering information from throughout the community to provide information and referrals about local programs and services to aid reentry; - matching each individuals identified needs with appropriate referrals and then following up to ensure needs are sufficiently addressed. Ongoing case management services are also provided to participants in the community reentry center programming. Bcps also aids individuals upon their release with basic services, from assisting with obtaining proper identification and transportation to providing shelter and clothing ouchers. Volunteer programs operated by bcps: holiday gift drives - bcps enlists volunteers throughout the community to provide holiday gifts for children of individuals who are incarcerated or involved in the local criminal justice system. Many volunteers choose to deliver the gifts themselves, while other gifts are collected and distributed at a special holiday event courtesy of the west lawn united methodist church. Family & friends coping with incarceration - bcps staff and volunteers lead a monthly support group for the families and friends of individuals involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. One-to-one mentoring - volunteers are paired with residents of the berks county jail and community reentry center in one-to-one relationships. The volunteer provides the support of friendship and acts as a proper role model for the resident in order to help them prepare for their release back into the community. Educational tutoring - volunteers work as tutors in four major areas to improve the literacy and education of prison residents: teaching illiterate persons to read; teaching english as a second language; tutoring remedial reading, writing and spelling skills; and g.e.d. Tutoring. Group fellowship events - ongoing monthly events allow community-based volunteers to have informal social visits as well as planned educational and seasonal activities for the inmates. Mothers voice program - allows incarcerated mothers of small children to record a story on video. The child receives the dvd and book as a gift from their mother. The child can then listen to the tape of his/her mother reading while following along in the book.”

“Refund from 2013 990t 1,118 fundraising exp netted with rev on 990 7,745 fundraising exp netted with rev on 990 -7,745 book / tax depreciation difference 2,937”